A Lot Like Adiós
Gabriel and Michelle are childhood friends who reunite after a decade. Sparks fly.
Gabriel Aguilar co-owns a gym in California and his business partner emails Michelle Amato for marketing for a new NYC location. Partner Fabian is unaware that Michelle and Gabe were childhood neighbors and best friends that parted ways when he went to LA for college. They didn't part on good terms; Michelle and Gabe had an intimate moment where Mich was thinking they could be more than friends but their moment ended when she spotted his one-way ticket to LAX. She's reached out to him in previous years, but he never responded to her.
Michelle agrees to accept the job with conditions, one of which is that Gabe has to stay with her while visiting New York City. Gabe is distraught when he finds out they're staying in her childhood home in the Bronx (next door to his parents) instead of her apartment in Hell's Kitchen. It doesn't take long for them to realize their sexual chemistry once they're reunited.
They live in their happy secret romance bubble for a while, but eventually their families figure out that Gabe is in town and staying with Michelle. To avoid explaining their complicated relationship, they fake dating for their families' sake. That they're drawn to each other is undeniable, but what will happen to the couple when Gabe has to return to California?
The novel goes back and forth between the present and online chats between teenage Michelle and Gabe thirteen years prior; the chats are their planning sessions for writing fan fiction about their favorite sci-fi TV show featuring Latinx characters in space.
Both characters are complex. Michelle is a Puerto Rican-Italian bisexual and suffered from anxiety before finding a prescription medication that works to calm her. Gabe is also bisexual and has deep-seated family issues that caused him not to talk to his Mexican-Puerto Rican family for almost a decade. Gabe isn't just a typical gym bro either; he also is a physical therapist who helps his customers with healthy movement, not just a personal trainer.
Seraphine Valentine's adept narration carries the reader into the story as if a friend is telling you about Gabe and Michelle. Her tone and inflection capture the listener's attention and she nails the accents while speaking both English and Spanish.
While this book is the second in a series, reading the first book is not necessary. Jasmine from You Had Me at Hola is Michelle's cousin.
Recommended for fans of forced proximity and second chance romance tropes and those looking for more diverse romance novels.
Alexis Daria is a romance author who hails from New York. Her novels focus on Latinx characters and their messy families.
Series: Primas of Power, #2
Publisher: Avon (print); HarperAudio
Narrator: Seraphine Valentine
Running Time: 9 hours, 45 minutes
Length: 416 pages
Release Date: September 14, 2021
I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.